As the Los Angeles Chargers have come to a 3-1 record on the season, their greatest weakness has remained in the sub-par play of their offensive line, and, as injuries continue to stack up, it is clear that a major change needs to be made if this team wants to enter Super Bowl contention.
While the draft is a long way off still, Auburn center Connor Lew is emerging as one of the top offensive linemen in this upcoming draft cycle, and, if this unit continues to struggle, he could easily become a glaringly obvious selection for the Chargers by the time the draft rolls around.
Lew, who is in his Junior year at Auburn after seizing a starting role as a true freshman, has been truly excellent in both pass protection and the run game this season. As he emerges as the concensus top center in the upcoming draft, Los Angeles could be left with almost no choice but to take him late in the first round.
Auburn's Connor Lew could be a savior for the Chargers' offensive line
As the season has worn on, injuries and poor play on the Charger's offensive line have greatly limited the ceiling of their offense as a whole.
After losing All-Pro left tackle Rashawn Slater for the season, things have only gotten steadily worse. Mekhi Becton has already missed time due to a concussion, and Joe Alt is now set to miss time with a high ankle sprain.
To make matters even worse, the starters who do remain, including Trey Pipkins III, Zion Johnson and Bradley Bozeman, have all struggled heavily to protect the quarterback. As the team looks set to roll with at least one backup lineman in Week 5, things could become even more dire against a relatively active Washington Commanders' pass rush.
Bozeman, particularly, has struggled this season, remaining among the worst centers in the league in the passing game. While backup Andre James could present a temporary solution, he has not proven to be a viable starter since his 2023 campaign with the Las Vegas Raiders.
Therefore, utilizing their first-round pick yet again on an offensive lineman might be the smartest choice the organization could make. As of now, Lew is ranked the 27th best prospect in the 2026 class according to PFF.
This makes him the only center with a top-32 draft grade, and it leaves him as one of six lineman who feature within that same category. Most of these players, however, are top-of-the-draft tackles: a position the Chargers should be set at once Slater and Alt are back to full health next season.
Lew, therefore, would likely fall perfectly within Los Angeles's draft range near the end of the first round, and, even if they have to reach a bit to get him, he could be the perfect selection for them to begin to address their biggest weakness.